Into the woods
by mommamclain
Summary: Ren dresses up as himself for a needed break.
1. Anything can happen in the woods

Ren needed to get away. 'or rather Kuon needs to get away' he thought deviously as he finished getting dressed after filming ended. It had ended early. Mostly due to the love scene sparking memories of kissing the girl he loved when he had been himself in Guam. Well not really himself. He had been her fairy prince again for a moment and she had treated him so openly. Oh how he longed for that. His memories had made today's scene better than the director could have hoped for. So well in fact, that the director had excitedly ended filming today crowing about how he had just won some bet. The director couldn't wait to show off his newly recorded scene and what he thought it proved. Oh how the director was right about Ren thinking about a kiss and being in love during the filming, but oh how wrong he was about who that kiss and love was with. Ren slumped again. Kyoko, the one he was thinking of, had been so distant. His heart ached. He just wanted to escape. He especially wanted to escape before his next interview.

"Good luck on your interview" Kyoko had told him mechanically this morning. He hadn't believed she had ment it. Not with the way she couldn't look him in the eyes. He could only sigh as she disappeared from his presence as quickly as she could again.

Ren sat with his head in his hands. The interview was a disaster. His polite manners only came off as trying to hide the truth. And his pause when asked if he was in love had convinced everyone all the more. And to make matters worse Kana had blushed at his unintended pause about love thinking he had meant her just like everyone else did now. At least that was in private as she turned him down again for a confession he never made.

That was how Ren found himself in the chair of Jelly Woods "the witch", having his hair dyed from it's dark brown to his natural blonde. His warm brown contacts removed to show off his true vibrant green Iris. Muse-sama as Kyoko had amusingly called her, had taken one look at The Tsuruga Ren when he entered and immediately offered to help. 'How ironic is it that I'm escaping my troubles by becoming myself' he thought.

The large park had a lovely deep wooded section with a small stream that glistened in the afternoon's sunlight. Ren had been there many times before to bask in the woods and let nature wash away the headache and less enjoyable parts of his chosen profession. He approached the fallen log he usually sat on only to find it already occupied. He stopped in shock and stared at the tiny woman with reddish hair who seemed to be blissfully daydreaming in the beautiful setting. 'don't be her. Be some random stranger'. He half hoped silently while the other half knew it was the little starlette he was in love with and wanted to hold her. With her hands clasped and her mind probably thinking of fairies she twirled around and stopped staring right back at him as recognition lit her eyes. 'not now, not now!' he thought in horror that he had been caught. Kyoko was already so cold to him. Will she ever speak to him again if she finds out now that her fairy prince she treasured so much was him?

"Coooorn" she yelled out and flung herself into his arms. He held her, bewildered but unwilling to let go. She felt so right in his arms. He could feel himself melting into her embrace. Letting it wash away the world but also building anxiety. Should he explain? Now could be a moment for the truth, but with how she felt about him at the moment would she ever recject him outright? How was he even going to explain?

She pulled away and looked at his face. Scrunched her nose as if momentarily unpleased. Ren tensed up. He opened his mouth not even knowing what he was going to say. Her fingers on his lips kept him from having to find out.

"I know you must look like him, but if the voice you are gonna borrow is his I'd rather you just not speak"

Stunned. 'She didn't recognize me?' he counted that blessing. 'Why would the voice have to be his. . . mine?' he corrected himself in his head, 'was she thinking about me that much?' he hoped. 'Oh but it must have been bad if she doesn't want to hear my voice.' He saddened himself again.

"I'm so glad you're here!" She trilled at him finally stepping out of his embrace, grabbing his hand and dragging him closer to the stream. "Doesn't this remind you of where we met?" She gestured to the stream, rocks and trees around them. He nodded, smiling at her enthusiasm. 'at least she still thinks of part of me foundly' he thought.

"I was walking around thinking after some troubles latley," she began still holding his hand. Ren couldn't help but worry that he was the troubles. Or at least that he had ruined their relationship enough that she would no longer come to him with those troubles, "anyway I seemed to get lost in thought and when I finally looked up I found myself here and thought it'd be a perfect place to find fairies." She giggled, "and I guess I was right." She squeezed his hand. His heart rate increased dramatically at the small gesture. Then she just started rambling, She told him about lotus In the mud and all her coworkers and how her and kanae were practicing English before her best friend left for america and how she was going to desperately miss the girl while still being thrilled at the opportunities Kanae had. At some point they sat on the log together, she had leaned against him resting her head against his arm and letting him wrap an arm around her waist like a backrest for her. "We had a visitor come to our improv acting class today." Kyoko idly kept chatting. Ren was surprised she even had time for the LME acting school anymore. "The director owns a diner theater and is offering acting spots that will count for class credit. It sounds pretty interesting and it's only one or two nights a week. I'm thinking of doing it, but I'm going to check with Yashiro-san to see what he thinks with scheduling and . . ." She kept on but Ren could only wonder if it would cut into his time with her. He also wondered if it was also only for students. One or two nights a week acting with her sounded amazing. That was how the afternoon was spent. Kyoko talked at length about everything except Ren and he listened intently without saying a word. Nodding or shaking his head when appropriate and treasured each moment he had with her this way.

She never mentioned him after saying he couldn't speak to her in his voice. Ren wondered about it. 'maybe I'm not that important to her. Maybe she really doesn't spend time thinking of me the way I think of her' he silently worried. They watched the sunset through the trees And when dark laying back on the grass to look for stars. There weren't many in the city. Still her attempt made him smile. Kyoko rolled over almost leaning on his chest looking at his face and smiled brilliantly. Ren's heart nearly exploded. How he wanted to reach up and touch her face. Kiss her and that beautiful smile she gave him. "It worked!" She said, "your curse stayed broken! And you smile so nicely" she watched him. 'Oh, I guess I am smiling.' he realised letting his smile grow even wider. She got up and offered him a hand to join. After he was standing too she said, "I have to go now". His heart sank and it must have shown on his face because she grabbed his hand and stepped towards him, "I've had a really good time and I really want to see you again" she looked up at him almost pleading. Ren vigorously shook his head yes. "I can be here again on Thursday" she offered. He nodded again. He didn't care what he had to do, he would be here whenever she wanted him. He paused at his own thought. He loved the thought of her wanting him, in any way. "7pm?" She watched his face as he thought for a moment and then pulled his hand away from hers to hold up 9 fingers questioningly. "Ok. I can do 9" she said. Ren heaved a sign of relief. She left him standing in the dark woods.

"That must have been some stress relief" Jelly Woods commented as Ren sat in her chair relaxed, pure bliss showing on his face. The complete opposite of how he had left several hours before. "What did you do?" She asked hoping for the secret of happiness he seemed to find.

"I sat in a forest and never said a word" he let out a small joyful smile causing a baffled yet charmed look from the hairdresser. "I need to do this again in two days Woods-san" he informed her.

"Need?" She asked suspicious of what he had actually done during his time as a blonde. "And call me Ten"

"Need" he grinned letting his desire to have Kyoko lean against him again wash over his features for a just a moment. It had its intended affect. Ten-san would do almost anything to make someone that beautiful that happy. She dyed his hair back and huffed at the idea of another time so quickly.

"Ren-san, will this be a frequent trend now?" She worried for his lucious locks but rejoiced for the unusually good mental state it might keep him in.

"I do hope so" he said wistfully. She grinned conspiratorially as they aranged for if after next time he found it would be a habit that he would wear a Ren wig between his forest visits.


	2. May I kiss you

Last time I forgot to add the usual thing about not owning skip beat. I apologise for my negligence.

Disclaimer:I don't own skip beat!

"You still can't look me in the eyes, Mogami-san!" Ren's face stared up at Kyoko accusingly.

"I know too much." She whined back. " How could I look you in the eye knowing what you've told me. And how hard it must be for you. Being used to enhance someone else's love story. It just proves love is a horrible thing."

"I never told YOU anything" Ren's arm raised to point at her. "I told Bo. Last I checked you weren't a giant chicken were you, Mogami-san?"

"I'm much more chicken than you'll ever know." She said as she picked up the little doll with Ren's accusing face. "I want to tell you about Corn. I met him again and his glorious smile. Tsuruga-san, I used magic to help him last time" Ren's face continued to look nonplussed. "I know you think it's all silly but can true love's kiss work if you love someone else? I thought maybe the insincerity of feeling would make it last only a little while. I mean I care about Corn deeply. He gave me such precious memories and such a precious gift I've used all my life. Does it work if only one of the people is in love?" Her face turned red. "Does that mean Corn truly loves me?"

"Do you always talk to celebrity dolls about vegetibles being in love with you?" A voice behind her asked. Kyoko jumped, shoved the doll in her bag and stood up.

"Good evening," Kyoko breathed out trying to subdue her embarrassment, and realising that there hadn't been any judgement in the question she had just been asked. She studied the man before her anew. His looks were average, nothing necessarily unpleasant about him but nothing that stood out as good to look at either. Behind his glasses were blue eyes that bore nothing more than open curiosity. His voice had a deep, rich and friendly tone. "I'm sorry" Kyoko apologized. I didn't know anyone else was here yet."

He sympathetically smiled and said "I wish vegetibles loved me," poking his little bit of pudge. It defused the tension and Kyoko couldn't help but giggle.

"I was talking about a fairy." She unconsciously responded and instantly worried he would laugh at her.

"Oh." He stated as if it were a perfectly reasonable explanation he had heard a thousand times before. "Your fairy is named after a vegetible? Mine is named after a flower." He seemed momentarily lost in thought. "Prettiest thing you've ever seen." Kyoko stared at him in wonder. "Oh, I'm Nakahashi Eita" he added, "I'll be playing the wondering priest in tonight's show."

"Mogami Kyoko, the um. . .flirt" she said trying to describe the character she had been assigned for the diner theater improv show she had joined. "pleased to meet you, Nakahashi-san. I'll be in your care."

"Have you seen the . . .I hesitate to call it a script. So I'll call it an outline. Mogami-san?" He asked. She had and she wouldn't call it a script either. She would hesitate to even call it an outline. It contained very brief character descriptions and vague descriptions of what they needed to accomplish at each section of the show. They discussed it briefly before they started taking about the guests. "I hope there is no one I know In the audience tonight" he commented. "It's my first acting since high school, and I'm afraid I'll be rusty and terrible. But once good at this I'd love for my family to come see. What about you?"

"Oh, I don't really have any family to invite to my performances" she began, "but I have a best friend, and a sempi, and perhaps even a fairy" she answered easily. Their conversation slid into a whole group discussion as the other actors came in. Everyone had people they hoped would want to see them perform.

"I'd like everyone to see me perform someday." Sasaki Mei a girl from Kyoko's acting class piped in. "I'm going to be mega famous and have every guy look at me with lust". Kyoko blushed at the very thought.

"Fame isn't for me. I'm just here for fun." Nakahashi stated, "although it might be better than the furniture delivery I'm doing now." he added with a lopsided smile.

There were only four actors. They set up a friendly comraderie in the short time they were all getting ready to perform.

"Oh Corn!" Kyoko gushed shortly after her fairy prince at the wooded spot in park near LME "It was so much fun. The guys were a joke a minute. It's amazing how they come up with the comedy on the spot like that. Even the chef got into the act once or twice. She's quite the character herself. She's an artist who is doing the cooking at the theater to help support herself till her painting takes off. But I really do need to study up on how to flirt. I was kinda awful at it. Fortunately that was made into a joke too. But I'll get better." Ren could see the fire of determination glow in her eyes.

Being prepared this time Ren wrote on a notepad "You could always ask your sempi." He knew it was a somewhat taboo subject, once again she hadn't mentioned Ren at all. He was begining to worry that she was so mad she couldn't talk about him. Or worse she didn't think about him enough to mention him, but mostly he didn't like the idea of her learning to flirt from anyone else. Or using it on anyone.

"I couldn't do that! It's far too embarrassing. Besides he's busy with his own lovelife and heartache." 'Heartache?' thought Ren. 'does she know how much it hurts me that she is avoiding me at work and not looking at me when she can't avoid me? Does that mean she really doesn't feel anything towards me? Maybe she really does have something with Fuwa now.' Kyoko totally oblitered his thought process by asking, "When I learn some pickup lines can I try some of it with you and you can tell me if it looks ridiculous if I try to flirt?". Ren was both amused and terrified. What if he overstepped the boundaries while she sweetly tortured him? He nodded to her but then wrote on the note book again. "Try the pick-up lines on your sempi for authentic reactions". He smirked at her bright red face.

"What if he took me seriously?" She asked pen across paper again and she didn't know how to respond. "Would that be a bad thing?" She pondered it and realized that wasn't really a possibility she had to worry about.

"Anyways the owner of the theater is a Scandinavian history buff and so everyone just calls him Viking-san I'm afraid I didn't even learn his real name." Kyoko started babbling to fill the silence. "But I did learn that viking is an activity instead of a people." She paused to ponder this a little bit as did Ren. "I'll be there Wednesday and Saturday nights for a while to earn class credit in improv. What do you do, Corn? I mean do princes have jobs?" Ren took some time to write and showed Kyoko the words, "I certainly seem to stay busy. But I can still make time to visit with you.". Kyoko's cheeks got the barest hint of a blush. Ren thought it was the most lovely he had ever seen her.

They sat in silence for a long time. Ren thinking about how she really didn't need to flirt. He had fallen for her just fine. He didn't like the idea of her flirting with anyone else. He half heartedly hoped she would try pick up lines on him. He would show her just how effective they could be. Kyoko's mind was going over a previous conversation.

"I guess that's dependant on if true love is a predetermined destiny, or something fluid that is built between two people" Nakahashi-san had stated. Kyoko wasn't sure. And neither was her conversation partner. "If it's destiny then I guess true love magic would work before you even know the person. If it's something that's built at what stage in building does the magic work. Is one person all in and the other only loving a memory enough? If both people are part way in does that equal the same?". Over the course of one night Kyoko had found Nakahashi-san to be deeply philosophical about light subjects. They had discussed the finer psychological points of practicing what you were going to say on a phone call and whether it would be better to spend 60 years with the body of a 30 year old or a mind of a 30 year old. They seemed to both agree that the body of a 30 year old was better. Because age comes with wisdom. "It would be a shame to miss out on all that wisdom while your body fell apart." Sasaki-san had added.

Kyoko was surprised by how easy these two were to talk to. She found their openness unique and inviting.

Sasaki-san had also talked at length about how to be sexy and what you could tell about a man by kissing him. "You've been kissed three times but all by surprise without participating in the kiss?" Sasaki had clarified before ranting "That's not kissing at all. That's being kissed. It's over before you even really know it's happening. It's completely different if you start it. Or even just participate."

Kyoko looked over at her fairy prince. Examining his facial expressions as he watched her hair in the moonlight. "May I kiss you?" She blurted out.


	3. Any moment we could be crushed

**Any moment we could be crushed.**

Standard disclaimer: I don't own skip beat!

Thank heavens the shock had rendered him speechless because the possibility that Ren would have wrecked everything by answering "WHAT?!" Had been a real possibility. However his face said it all without his voice.

"I'm so sorry, Corn. I didn't mean to offend you." Kyoko started back peddling, her face turning something between mortified blue and love flushed red. Ren was still rendered inert from her request to kiss him or he would have tried desperately to assure her that it was only shock and not offense. "Forget I asked. I'll be going first." She stood up and started running off then turned adding, "I understand if you don't want to see me again but I'll be here Tuesday evening at 7 even if you don't come." And then she was gone.

Ren didn't sleep that night. He was so shocked by her request and so angry at himself for his inability to respond before she ran off misunderstanding his actions completely. Had he just ruined the only chance he might have with her? Were all his hopes crushed by his own stupid actions or rather inactions. But also he glowed for just a moment 'she wanted to kiss me.'

"Nakahashi-san, Sasaki-san, good evening" Kyoko greeted. "I'm ready tonight with some pickup lines." She glowed. Fiddling with her costume she tried to get into character. "How about this one? You could never be ice cream. . .because your so hot. . .and also a person?" She awkwardly finished.

"No Good." Said Sasaki "Next one."

"Would you like a raisin? No? How about a date?". Both Nakahashi and Sasaki giggled.

"Still terrible but fits your character much better" proclaimed Nakahashi.

"How about this one: Hey, are you and angel?" Kyoko began and flashed back to her PV filming with Sho, dark wind swirled around her, her face growing livid with disgust as she announced "Ugh, I think I'm alrergic to feathers." Her costars stood stunned for a moment wary of her change before Nakahashi collapsed on the ground laughing.

"That's a terrible pick up line. It doesn't fit your character at all." Nakahashi gasped out between his bellowing laughter.

"Yes, I agree that one is unusable." Kyoko nodded, making a mental note to check the pick-up lines for dangerous traps before trying them out loud.

"You looked just like Mio from Dark Moon for a moment. Have you seen that show?" Nakahashi asked unaware that any of his costars had other projects.

"What!? You're that Kyoko?" Sasaki had bewilderingly asked when the truth came out. "But you're so different! And nice!" She added causing Kyoko a momentary blush. "Are you really Natsu then too. From box R?"

Kyoko nodded.

"For Real?" Nakahashi asked. And Kyoko assured him it was true. "What are you doing in this tiny theater when you're a real actress?"

"Hey." Said Sasaki.

"I've only been acting a little while." Kyoko responded. "I'm here to learn improv and comedy".

"Perhaps we should work on the subtler things to make a person sexy" Sasaki offered. Glaring at Nakahashi for a moment. "Even real actresses need practice." She was refuting entirely to herself. She thought Kyoko was amazing even if was was too innocent. Focusing on the girl again she continued "You're posture is still way to strait and formal. Do something more Natsu like." They were both shocked at how fast Kyoko could change her posture to sex kitten. But Sasaki still had plenty of small every day ideas for Kyoko to add to her repertoire of sexy. And some pickup lines that made Kyoko blush and cringe in ways that entertained both of the people helping her.

"I have a secret hunch that I'm going to die from embarrassment when my time comes." Kyoko complained after trying some of Sasaki-san's recommendations.

"Really?" Nakahashi chimed in, "I always figured I would go out in a blaze of glory saving the world as only some nerd turned hero could do in dramatic self sacrifice".

Sasaki added "I plan to go out as a rich old lady with a hot young stallion in bed during afterglow. It shouldn't only be only rich men who get to die that way"

"That's so inappropriate." Kyoko squeaked

"It is!" Sasaki conceded. "but you're also a prude."

"I'm a prude?" Kyoko thought back to running off with a boy at 15, the times she had been kissed (which she now knew wasn't the same as kissing) her time with her "nii-san", those 'man-eater' underwear, laying against Corn in the woods. She didn't think any of those were particularly prudish behavior, but those weren't things many people knew of either.

Vivid pink streaked by the number one actor and his manager. "Good morning," Ren said loudly, hoping to catch the pink blur. It stopped. Took a few moments to compose itself and turned to the two.

"Good morning, Tsuruga-san, Yashiro-san."

"Good morning, Kyoko-san." Yashiro greeted her. "How was your improv acting last night?"

Both men were surprised at the pleased blush that came over her face. "I finally found my character." She announced, turning redder.

"Is your character embarrassing? You seem to be blushing." Ren teased just to see if he could cause some of that blush on her cheeks. Her face color didn't noticeably darken but she did fiddle with the seams on her jumpsuit drawing his eyes to her lithe body. Moving to put all her weight on one foot she brought her knees slightly more together, looked up at Ren and licked her lips. 'thats not fair' he thought about the way her every movement affected him.

"It's not really embarrassing," she lied, "but once I'm in character it's much easier." She looked away from Ren again making him realise that she had looked him in the eye for the first time in over a week. "I'd better get going. I have filming for lotus soon. And I'm hoping to finish all my scenes early to get some Momiji training in before this evening.

"I hope you make it home before tonight's storm arrives." Yashiro stated. He was confused by the look of slight worry that showed on both of his charges faces.

"There's a storm coming tonight?" Ren asked thinking about how that might ruin his plans for the evening.

"Oh," Kyoko looked contemplative. "All the more reason I should hurry then" she said distractly before saying her goodbyes and leaving both men wondering what she could be thinking.

Kyoko stood drenched in sweat catching her breath. Black clouds in a greenish sky creating an ominous feel through the windows. She checked the clock on the wall. Bowed to her partners and rushed off to the showers. Half an hour later she stood in the green woods watching a darkening sky while the wind whipped her hair across her face.

"I told him I'd be here." She told a sapling that flittered in the wind next to giant maple tree. "If he doesn't come can I blame it on the weather? Or is it me?" The wind moaned reminding Kyoko of how her best friend would have groaned if she had heard that comment. Thinking of Moko-san made Kyoko feel a bit better.

She checked her phone. The clock read 7:30. Why hadn't she asked for a way to contact him? She couldn't bring herself to leave. She had no other way to find him. If he didn't show up tonight she may never see him again. Noone else may ever tell her they love her. She didn't want to lose her chance of having him around. A large fat raindrop fell on her phone screen. And then another. Kyoko tucked the phone safely away as it began raining in earnest. She meandered from tree to tree beneath the leaves trying to find the driest spot. As the rain began to fall in sheets she gave up trying. Kyoko sat on the log. Drenched and unseeing as the rain washed away her hope.


	4. Uh-

**Uh-**

Usual disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat!

The forest lit up like daylight under the sizzling strike lightning. A man-shaped shadow cast the ground in front of her for the frozen moment that the woods were illuminated. Thunder roared instantly. A tree branch above screamed. Kyoko turned around only to be pushed roughly to the ground beneath the man who had cast the shadow. Leaves smacked her face as a sickening crunch jolted the two entangled bodies.

Pelting rain kept her from opening her eyes, hands scraped against rough bark while trying to bring them to her face. She wiped her eyes and then shielded them from the rain. Kyoko felt half relieved half worried. Spitting out the twig that had entered her mouth, she called, "Corn!". She grabbed his face to look at his eyes but it was fruitless. Without her finger umbrella she couldn't keep her eyes open. Between his quiet breathing and her inability to see him she panicked, words spilled from her mouth like a torrent. "Please Corn, talk to me. I don't care whose voice you use just tell me that you are ok? talk to me!" She pleaded. "Please". Pure silence hit as loud in her ears as the thunder a moment before. As if the weather too were holding its breath.

"это пиздец" A very strange sound came from him. It was a strong and enchanting sound. Kyoko wondered if it was a fairy language. She blocked the rain from her face They made eye contact. "I'm alright, Kyoko-chan" he said in Ren's voice. She started breathing again. "Let's find someplace out of this storm." He suggested. She nodded. They both tried to get up at once. It only succeeded in getting part of one of them to rise. The squirming caused a new sensation but not an altogether unpleasant sensation. They both paused. Ren trying to tame his mutiny below.

"It seems it's a tight fit" Kyoko stated awkwardly. Ren prayed to the gods that she wasn't referencing his pants. They were indeed a tight fit at the moment. "I'm so glad you came." He flinched at her phrasing.

"Of course I came," he reassured her while worrying about his own phrasing. "I always want to come for you" 'Maybe I should just go back to not talking' he thought. "I'm sorry I was so late. Why would you stay outside in this awful weather for me?" He admonished and admired her. It was a rhetorical question. He hadn't expected her to answer and didn't even think he wanted one until she began to speak. Her voice soft as if she was shy from being chided.

"Well, because you have always been so kind to me, and I don't know how else to reach you. I couldn't bare to lose you" her voice broke for a moment before she quietly added, "and because you're the only person whose ever said they loved me." Ren was stunned. His eyes softened. The glance melting into their souls. It would have been a perfect moment if her words hadn't implied so much previous neglect, he hadn't been at half mast and they hadn't been stuck under a fallen tree branch in a torrential downpour. Even so, Ren wouldn't trade that moment for anything. Indeed it would become a frequently shown clip in his mind's eye over the years to come.

"How about I pushup and you wiggle out first? Then there will be more room for me to get up." Ren offered. He didn't even wait for her reply before somewhat reluctantly pushing his chest away from hers. His ankles were still over the log. It made for an ungainly pushup. He barely even noticed his bruised shins rubbing against the wooden seat because there was a small warm woman inching her way up his body in a slow undulating movement. The space between them was still tight enough that his shirt road up with her wiggling body. It was the most exquisite torture he ever endured. The feel of his bare chest as his shirt lifted up was keeping her mind occupied too.

She managed to free herself and help him up. "Thank you, Kyoko" he intentionally left her name intimate. He watched the rain drops on her face and the way her wet clothes clung to her before taking her hand and leading her someplace as dry as his throat.

"Your friends are what you are most grateful for? You're so pure, Kyoko-chan. Someday I want to be as real as you are. But less naive." She wondered if she should be offended at what Nakahashi-san had just said but something about the warmth in it made it impossible for her to feel he meant it badly. How had this conversation ended up so deep anyway. It had started after the show as they sat on one end of the giant banquet hall tables eating the leftovers. He had asked her "If you could wake up tomorrow morning having gained any one quality or ability what would it be?". She didn't have an answer. Or rather she had a laundry list of answers and didn't know where to start so she listened as he talked about what he would do with his new telekinesis ability. He had grand ideas of how to use the powers for laziness. When she did answer somehow it got to her giving him a 4 minute version of her life story and a discussion on what they would change about how they were raised. Nakahashi-san had two sisters and a plethora of cousins. The only thing he would change about his childhood would be having more reasons to sing. Kyoko thought perhaps his childhood was why he was so pleasant and talkative. Sasaki-san and Erika-san, the chef, had joined them and it had been a warm open discussion about everything and nothing. Kyoko had never known people who just said how they felt before. In fact discussing feelings at all had been taboo most of her life. She wondered if perhaps things would have been different if she had always known how Sho had felt instead of always having to guess based on his behavior. Or if his feelings would have been different if he had known how she felt.

Ren watched Kyoko's expressions. They changed rapidly and, he thought, irresponsibly. Who could resist the flush that brightened her cheeks intermittently. He was super jealous of whoever or whatever caused such beauty on her distracted face. For a moment he considered it had indeed been him and some jealousy of his blonde self surged through him before more disturbing possible causes entered his mind.

Judging by the way she jumped when he put his hand on her forehead she hadn't even noticed his approach. "sorry," Ren apologized, "it's just you looked like you might be coming down with a cold.'' She only looked at him confused. "You don't seem to be running a fever though," he smirked, "perhaps that beautiful flush on your cheeks is from someone?" he probed, hoping the words she would say might betray something of how she felt about him.

"Oh no Tsuruga-san, not a personal at all." She flushed as the only sign she had heard his compliment. "Well not really a person. I mean, kind of a person." She thought for a moment, "Yeah definitely a person," she flushed irresponsibly again, "sort of" she contradicted herself leaving Ren confused. "I was just taking a break between love me tasks." She sounded like she was justifying her being in the lounge. "What brings you here, Senpai?" Her sudden exuberance dulling the stab of the word senpai.

"Yashiro is rearranging my schedule so I had a few moments. I saw you looking as if something were on your mind and thought I'd see if I could help." He prayed she would tell him. He was endlessly curious about those expressions especially after he had been left so suddenly at the edge of the forest in the rain.

"I couldn't possibly trouble you, Tsuruga-san" she began

"I'm always willing to listen and give advice for you, Mogami-san." He interrupted gently

"But Tsuruga-san..." She looked for an excuse. "It's kind of personal" she rubbed her hands together looking up at him bashfully.

"I'm here to help, even with personal issues After all, your work could be affected if you are so distracted." He added knowing she would do almost anything for the sake of work. He needed to know. Between her myriad expressions and the way they had last parted.

His mind thought back to the edge of the forest as they held hands in the rain. Her hair dripping down her cheeks and neck, her wet skin supple, begging for touch as he brought her under a bus stop long enough to decide where they should go. Her place had customers and he couldn't offer his without giving away everything. A cafe would leave them still wet and seemed impersonal. A hotel seemed too intimate. But he hadn't wanted to part with her and so he had offered a hotel after not finding any other viable options. She had instantly turned to bright red stone staring at his face. He had worried that his cover had been blown the way she reacted. When she broke through her stone she reached out and touched his face. Never breaking eye contact her other hand reached into her pocket, pulled out a piece of paper and tucked it into his pocket. then she turned and walked away without saying anything. He had meant to call after her, to stop her and keep her with him. Instead he just watched her walk away in wonder. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the wet piece of paper. It somewhat blurred ink it said "Thursday 9pm or and then her phone number. He smiled wondering how he should call her. He wondered. . .

"How would you tell someone you loved them?" Kyoko finished his thought breaking his revery as she let herself ask her senpai for advice.

"What?" Was all he could utter.

"I mean you specifically Senpai. How would you tell someone?"

'Why was she asking so personal a question while using senpai to keep their relationship so far apart?' his mind boggled. 'and why that question? Did she love someone?' Kyoko just watched him expecting an answer. "I" he began without having any idea where his sentence was going. "I suppose I" he continued still not knowing what he was going to say. "Do you love someone Mogami-san?" He blurted out. His heart soared with hope and broke in worry at the same time. He longed for it to be him. Excited and jealous that it might be the other him and truly terrified that it might be someone else entirely. Particularly a blonde singer who seemed almost bound to her by fate.

"That's not what we are talking about at all Tsuruga-san" she tossed his hope and despair to the side like it was all ridiculous. "I was asking if you were to tell someone, how would you do it? I'm sure you've thought about it before, haven't you?"

'all the time' he answered silently. 'every moment I'm with you.' he leaned in towards her. She stepped back and found a wall behind her. "I suppose I would get her alone," he looked around confirming the lounge and hallway were still empty. "and lean in" he put his hands beside her on the wall placing his body mere inches from her so she could feel his heat and he could feel hers. The sensation delighted him and spurred him on. His eyes darkened and his eyelids partially closed. "I'd look her right in eyes" her eyes widened looking back into his. "And I'd say, Kyoko" her breath hitched at his use of her name without honorifics "I love you. I've liked you since we were children and played together. You've always been my ideal Japanese woman. And since I've met you again I've been watching you. Your amazing skills and talents and personality. I've fallen so hard for you that nothing else matters anymore. The way you care for me makes me care about me again The way you accept me makes me want to accept myself" He placed a hand on her cheek, he looked into her soft eyes "I think I could share everything I am with everything you are. Please look at only me. I love you". He leaned down looking at her lips, getting closer. She swallowed hard. Sadness filled her eyes stopping Ren in his tracks.

"Yes, that would do it." Her voice broke. She stepped to the side out of his reach. "No one could turn that down," she stated. "I have to go now". She turned and practically bolted down the hallway.

Ren stood there. 'If no one could turn that down why did she brush it off and leave?'

Author's note: это пиздец is a Russian swear for "this is fucked up"


End file.
